Musical instrument



y 7, 1930. M. L. JONES 1,760,141

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Nov. 16, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 27, 1930. M. L. JONES MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Nov. 16, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 y M. L. JONES MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Nov. 16, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented May 27, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE M'URVIN L. JONES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AS SIGNOB T J. C. DEAGAN, ING, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 0F ILLINOIS MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Application filed November 16, 1928. Serial No. 819,919.

My invention relates to musical instruments that are inclusive of horizontal rows of vibrant horizontal bars each adapted, when set into vibration, to produce a tone of a musical scale differing from the tones produced by the others. i

The invention has for its object the avoidance of undesired intermingling of successively produced tones. I achieve this result by means of a unitary sound dampener that is normally applied to all of. the bars. This dampener is equipped with means such as a pedal, whereby it may be moved out of engagement with all of the bars. By suitably controlling the dampened successively produced tones may be permitted to mingle or be prevented from mingling according to the musical efiect desired.

My invention is of particular service in connection with those instruments, of the class described, which employ constantly operating air beating fan blades in the resonating tubes that are disposed below the sounding bars. These blades or fans serve to produce rhythmic pulsations which would be materially marred if suiiicient means were not provided for preventing the undesired mingling of successive reproduced musical tones of the same or different pitch.

The invention will be more fully explained in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of an instrument constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, parts being broken away; Figs. 2, 3, 4t and 5 are sectional views taken respectively on lines 2-2,

3-3, l4 and 55. of Fig. 1, Figs. 2, 3 and 4 being on a larger scale; and Fig. 6 is a sectional View on line 66 of Fig. 5.

The instrument shown is of a Xylophone type, the sound bars 1 being preferably of metal rather than of wood. These bars are usually arranged in two banks as illustrated in Fig. 1 and are of such proportions as to produce tones of the chromatic scale when they are set into vibration. The bars are usually threaded upon strings 2 which are anchored at their ends to posts These posts are carried upon suitable framework 4 and are preferably provided with open slots into which the ends of the string may be downwardly passed. The string ends are knotted as indicated at 5 to hold them in assembly with the posts 3. Other frames 6 are disposed below the bars and carry the upright resonating tubes 7 whose axes are aligned with the geometrical centers of the bars, respectively. Each row of resonators is associated with a horizontal shaft 8 which passes through the upper ends of the resonators and upon which the air beating fan blades 9 are rigidly secured. An electric 1n0- tor 1O drives the shafts 8 through the intermediation of suitable gearing 11 and belting 12, this belting passing over suitable pulleys 13 of which some are fixed upon said shafts. l/Vhen the instrument is being played the motor is in constant operation to constantly operate the blades so that when any resonator is reverberating the sound produced by the bar above it the reverberation has a rhythmic pulsation. successively produced pulsating tones would frequently merge to produce unpleasant sounds if means were not provided for checking the vibrations of the bars as desired. In accordance with my invention I have provided each horizontal row of vibrant horizontal bars with a unitary sound dampener which normally engages all the bars in such row and whose removal from the bars is required in order that the bars may be. set into vibration. This unitary .sound dampener is preferably inclusive of a suitable horizontal mounting bar 1% which may be of wood or metal and upon Whose top side a strip of felt 15 is disposed. Coil springs 16 press upwardly upon the bar 14 and bring the pad 15 into engagement with one end of each of the bars in both horizontal rows of bars. These springs surround rods 17 which are carried by and depend from the bar 14 and freely pass through vertical holes that are formed in the positioning bar 18. The latter bar is secured at its ends to the framework of the instrument by means of two pins 19 Which are received within laterally extending slots 20 in the bar 18 and upon which pins nuts 21 are screwed in order to clamp the bar 18 in place. Nuts 22 are screwed upon the rods'l'i beneath the bar 18 and cooperate with this bar to limit the extent to which the springs 16 may press upon the bar 14 upwardly therebv to regulate the degree of sound dampening engagement of the strip of felt 15 with the bars 1. Another rod 23, but unthreaded, is carried by and depends fromthe bar 14, this rod being disposed at the middle of this bar and passing through another vertical hole in the bar 18 whereby the bar 14 is further directed in its movement.

The sounds dampening pressure of the springs may be light and should be insuflicient. to raise the ends of the bars engaged'thereby to any material extent.

A metal strip 24' couples the lower ends of the rods 17 and 23. A horizontal shaft 25 is provided with laterally projecting fingers 26 which overlie the ends of the bar 24. An arm 27 is secured to the mid portion of the shaft 25 and is of hook formation at its outer end to receive an eye 28 that is upon the upper end of a pedal operated link 29. This link 29 is adjustable in length by means of the turn buckle 30 and is pivoted at its lower end to the mid portion of a pedal lever 31. This pedal lever is pivoted at one end to the stationary bracket member 32 and terminates, at its other end, in a foot rest 33. Whenever any of the bars are to be set into vibration the pedal lever is depressed to turn the shaft 25 and thereby lower the bar 24. this bar carrying with it the bar 14 and the dampening pad 15 to free this pad from engagement of the bars 1 to permit these bars to be set into vibration. The pedal lever is maintained in its depressed position as long as it is desired to have successively. produced tones intermingle, but when it is desired to stop the intermingling of successively produced tones the pedal is released to permit the springs 16 to re-apply the sound dampener to the bars 1. The-downward movement of the pedal is desirably limited by contact of the plate 33 with the floor, the range of movement of this plate with reference to the floor being adjustably determined by the turn buckle 30. The movement of the pedal through a range of A; of an inch' has been found sufiicient. An instrument of the class described thus equipped with a device of my invention is permitted to produce long sustained tones for which this type of instrument is noted, as in the playing of broken chords or arpeggios, when the sound dampener is withdrawn upon depression of the pedal. The duration of the intermingling tones being determined by the dampener, as described. The successively produced tones and harmony changes. may be played in proper tempo and without undesirable conv flictof non-related tones.

The pedal is desirably mounted to have its foot engaged plate 33 adjustable in position lengthwise of the instrument, for the corn venience of the operator. To this end I desirably provide the bracket member 32 upon and about a threaded upright bolt 34 which passes through the bracket member 32 and is a part of a complemental bracket member 35. The latter bracket member is split and assembled about and secured to a strut 35' which is suitably assembled with the framework of the instrument as illustrated most clearly in Fig. 5. Both bracket members 32 and 35 have teeth upon their contacting faces so that when the bracket member 32, together. with the pedal lever 31 thereon, are swung to any particular position they may beheld in such position. In the preferred embodiment of the invention a coil spring 36 surrounds the lower end of the bolt 34 and is interposed between the bracket member 32 and a nut 37 which is screwed upon the lower end of the bolt. The spring thus serves yieldingly to hold the bracket member 32 and the pedal lever 31 in any position to which these parts are together swung. The bracket members 32 and 35 are assembled with the framework of the instrument by means of the upright 38 which is'secured at its upper end to the strut 39 of the instrument framework. This strut is received at its lower end to the split bracket member 35 by the nut 37'.

I claim:

1. A musical instrument including a horizontal row of vibrant horizontal bars each adapted, when set into vibration, to produce a tone of a musical scale differing from the tones produced by the others; a unitary sound dampener; spring means normally pressing said dampener into engagement with all of said bars; and means for moving said sound dampener out of engagement with all of said bars.

2. A musical instrument including a horizontal row of vibrant horizontal bars each adapted. when set into vibration, to produce a tone of a musical scale differing from the tones produced by the others a unitary sound dampener; spring means normally pressing said dampener into engagement'with all of said bars; a pedal; and linkage connecting the pedal ,with said dampener and operating, when operated by the pedal, to move the sound dampener out of engagement with all of said bars.

3. A musical instrument including a horizontal row of vibrant horizontal bars each adapted, when set into vibration, to produce a tone of a musical scale differing from the tones produced by the other bars; a unitary sound dampener extending along said row of bars and itself inclusive of the bar that also extends along the aforesaid row of bars; spring means pressing upwardly against said bar; rods depending from said bar; another bar connected with said rods; a pedal; and

my name.

MURVIN L. JONES. 

